Going to college in the nation’s capital has its ups and downs. For one, it makes for a fulfilling, inspiring collegiate career made possible by tons of internship opportunities. But on the other hand, it can produce almost cookie-cutter GW students that exhibit the same traits over and over again as we make use of those same advantages…or disadvantages. Anyways, #RaiseHigh!
Here are the 10 ingredients that, when mixed together, give you a classic GW student.
1. You’ve Been Drunk Monumenting (Dr-onumenting? Drunk-umenting?)
Hitting the monuments at night serves as the pinnacle experience for GW students. What about the excursion that makes it so timeless remains unknown. But for some, the appeal might in its proximity, making the activity something GW students get to enjoy which competitors Georgetown and American University do not. “I slid down the Lincoln Memorial after a night out as a freshman,” said senior Gabby Picard. “We’re the only university that’s really close enough to walk there at night.” Do we keep venturing out there simply because we can, or because we really want to? Either way, the activity proves exhilarating, especially with the right company.
2. You’ve Had to Listen to a White Guy Play Devil’s Advocate
Sometimes, stimulating academic discourse can get frustrating, or steer in an uncomfortable direction. I think I can speak for most GW students when I say at least one class discussion you’ve been in had escalated rather quickly. “In my discussion section for comparative politics this guy kept trying to justify American intervention because it protects ‘our freedom’ and established ‘democracy’ while we were talking about the millions of lives lost during the war on terror,” said junior Hiba Sohail. To make matters worse, he began with “let me just play devil’s advocate for a second.” I’m starting to think you support American intervention and not the devil, Jared. What’s the point of the phrase, anyway? If you feel strongly about a situation, you should be able to say your point of view with confidence and defend it. Please don’t just argue for argument’s sake. You’re in Intro to International Politics, not a Congressional hearing. Move on.
3. You’ve Had a “Hillternship”
Combining the words “Capitol Hill” and “internship,” a “hillternship,” describes a privilege typical for so many GW students, there’s a nickname for it. The job usually doesn’t pay, comes with a long commute and requires business formal attire. Frankly, the experience just doesn’t even seem worth the hassle. But, let’s be honest with ourselves. If there’s one thing we GW students love, it’s looking important. It’s obvious why we all succumb to a “hillternship” eventually: the job’s a resume builder.
4. You Know Someone’s Internship Status Before You Know Their Year
As touched upon regarding “hillternships,” GW students’ resumes are clearly more important than their birth certificates. “I think that GW students are really confident about their skills and education which is great in a workplace setting (and encouraged for networking) but it’s really just time and place, like maybe I’m being crazy here but I don’t think someone who just met you a few minutes ago wants to hear about the ins and outs of your hillternship,” said recent graduate Rachel Armany. The fact of the matter is, building the right connections proves a major reason why we come to GW. We just need to do better at reading the room; sometimes simply just exchanging formalities will do.
5. You Avoid Colonial Health Center at All Costs
Operating from the ground floor of the Marvin Center, the Colonial Health Center comes off as somewhat of a pain for many GW students. “It’s horrible and everyone I know who has gone has had bad experiences there and weren’t diagnosed,” said senior Mia Walsh-Serpico. Many students describe the inefficiency of the service, citing experiences wherein after hours of waiting and testing, they were simply told to purchase over-the-counter medicine. Thanks for nothing, CHC!
6. You’ve Pulled a Gelman All-Nighter: Where Space and Time Cease to Exist
Let’s level up the traditional college student all-nighter. “I once had to write an anthropology paper in one night because I underestimated how much other work I had,” Junior Matt Zachary said. “I started off in Gelman, went to District Basement for a change of scenery, then went back to Gelman around two a.m. until seven a.m.” But no fear, he was able to enjoy a small excursion before shutting himself up to the outside world for the remainder of the night: “I went to CVS to get caffeine/energy drinks before the return voyage to Gelman.” GW students are no stranger to the experience. But hey, at least the assignment will get done on time! Sometimes we just need a little pressure to do our work.
7. You’ve Said “#OnlyAtGW” Ironically
#OnlyAtGW has been regurgitated by the university so much, the saying became almost impossible to poke fun at. The hashtag was created to symbolize the uniqueness GW students, and, technically, we still use it in such a way. For example, where the school itself might caption a photo of D.C. cherry blossoms “#OnlyAtGW,” one aiming to incite some harmless fun may caption a photo of a dead rat in front of Gelman Library the very same thing.
8. A Motorcade Has Prevented You from Getting Somewhere on Time
A motorcade is an obnoxious and loud procession of vehicles escorting an important person. If you’re lucky enough (and awake enough) you’ll be able to catch a glimpse of said important person, but most of us are at least able to get by with seeing the flags on either side of the shiny limo to understand the country from which the escorted hails from. They can happen anytime, anywhere, and most conveniently, in the middle of campus, five minutes before your next class starts.
9. You’re a Survivor of the Thurston Plague
The Thurston Plague had been christened after the infamous Thurston Hall, home of most of GW’s freshmen. The illness refers to a sweeping, immediate influx of sickness wreaking havocs on its victims at least once a year. When you have so many students living in such tight quarters in such an old building, such a disaster is bound to occur. Consider the abundance of mold growing absolutely everywhere, the roaches roaming freely and the unreliable air conditioning. Thankfully, GW plans on renovating the dorm over the summer. A bittersweet time for most, and perhaps even sparks of jealously for the incoming class are in the air, but it’s for the best.
10. You’ve Seen a Famous Politician… Maybe Without Even Knowing It
Because we’re located in D.C., important people are going to be flying in and out of the city. Often, they have to pass through campus to get to their destinations. Other times, GW could be a leg of their stop, such as book talks or public speeches. “I ran into a friend at the corner by Elliot and we saw a helicopter flying low and we were like ‘woah that’s kind of suspicious’ and we realized it was Marine One. Then I went to get coffee and there was a TV in the shop playing CNN, and they were interviewing President Trump, and they reported he just hopped off of Marine One!” said sophomore Ameen Iraqi. Such an experience is vastly typical of GW students because only right after the fact do we register who we just saw.
